November 12, 2016

The Arrogance of Entitlement – Bad Losers in the UK (Brexit vote) and in the US (Trump victory)

Free thinking people abhor Fascism – a bullying certainty and self righteousness combined with intolerance and suppression of opposing views. Social media shows us that this phenomenon is not confined to the Right, the usual source in the past, but is now manifesting itself on the Left. Since the Brexit vote, and now since the Trump election it is clear to me that there is an arrogant self righteous sense of entitlement by many on the liberal Left, including many of the UK Remainers, and a lot of US Hillary Clinton supporters. This refusal to accept admittedly flawed democratic systems goes beyond being bad losers. People are personally affronted at the results, and instead of a pragmatic view, they are outraged and emotionally unable to cope with reality – a reality desired by the majority of their fellow citizens. Instead they are making increasing personal attacks on the victors and trying to manipulate opposing opinions, so creating more division and intolerance. I find this neurotic, whining – the arrogance of entitlement – childish and unhelpful – indeed taken to extreme it is the beginning of a new type of Fascism – bullying, intimidating and intolerance. Grow up, put your own house in order, regroup, get your ideas and evidence sorted – and deal with it folks! Politics is a complicated business and there are no simple solutions, but we only have true democracy when there is freedom of the Press and of speech, and when we can respect people who have ideas other than our own.